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or the Victoria had a scam going。 Ever since the meeting with Gornt at Aberdeen when he had put his theory of a bail…out by Blacs or the Victoria of the Ho…Pak to Gornt and had seen a flicker behind those cunning eyes； he had wondered if he had sniffed out a scam of the Big Boys。 Oh sure； they're Big Boys all right。 They've got Hong Kong by the shorts； Jesus； have they got an inside track！ And Jesus； oh Jesus when at the races Richard Kwang asked him to buy Ho…Pak and； almost at once； Havergill had announced his takeover； he had gone to the men's room and vomited。 10 million in Ho…Pak； Blacs； Victoria and Struan's； bought at the bottom of the market。 And then； tonight； when the nine o'clock news announced that China was advancing half a billion cash so all bank runs were finished； he knew he was a multimillionaire； a multi…multimillionaire。
The young man could not hold his stomach together and rushed off to the bushes by the side of the road and retched till he thought he would die。
The English bystander turned his back on him and said quietly to a friend； 〃These Chinese fellows really don't have much of a stiff upper lip； do they； old boy？〃
Paul Choy wiped his mouth； feeling terrible； the thought of all his maybe money； so near now； too much for him。
The stretchers were passing。 Numbly he followed them to the aid station。 In the background under the makeshift overhang； Dr。 Meng was doing emergency surgery。 Paul Choy watched Dr。 Tooley turn back the blankets。 A European woman。 Her eyes were open and staring。 Dr。 Tooley sighed and closed them。 The next was an English boy of ten。 Dead too。 Then a Chinese child。 The last stretcher was a Chinese man； bleeding and in pain。 。Quickly the doctor gave him a morphia injection。
Paul Choy turned aside and was sick again。 When he came back Dr。 Tooley said kindly； 〃Nothing you can do here； Mr。 Choy。 Here； this'll settle your stomach。〃 He gave him two aspirins and some water。 〃Why don't you wait in one of the cars？ We'll tell you the instant we hear anything about your uncle。〃
〃Yes； thanks。〃
More stretchers were arriving。 An ambulance pulled up。 Stretcher bearers got the tagged injured aboard and the ambulance took off into the drizzle。 Outside； away from the stench of blood and death； the young man felt better。
〃Hello； Paul； how're things going？〃
〃Oh。 Oh hello； tai…pan。 Fine； thanks。〃 He had encountered the tai…pan earlier and told him about Four Fingers。 Dunross had been shocked and very concerned。
〃Nothing yet； Paul？〃
〃No sir。〃
Dunross hesitated。 〃No news is good news perhaps。 If Smiler Ching could survive； let's hope for the best； eh？〃
〃Yes sir。〃 Paul Choy had watched Dunross hurry off up the road toward the barrier； his mind rehashing all the permutations he had worked out。 With the tai…pan's fantastic takeover of General Stores … that was so smart； oh so smart … and now sliding out of Gornt's trap； his stock's gotta go to 30。 And with Ho…Pak pegged at 12。50； the moment that's back on the board it's gotta go back to 20。 Now； figure it； 17。5 percent of 10 million times 50 is …
〃Mr。 Choy！ Mr。 Choy！〃
It was Dr。 Tooley beckoning him from the aid station。 His heart stopped。 He ran back as fast as he could。
〃I'm not sure but follow me； please。〃
There was no mistake。 It was Four Finger Wu。 He was dead； seemingly unharmed。 On his face was a wonderful calmness and a strange； seraphic smile。
Tears spilled down Paul Choy's cheeks。 He squatted beside the stretcher； his grief possessing him。 passionately Dr。 Tooley left him and hurried over to the other stretchers； someone screaming now； another distraught mother clutching the broken body of a child in her arms。
Paul Choy stared at the face； a good face in death； hardly seeing it。
Now what？ he asked himself； wiping away his tears； not really feeling he had lost a father but rather the head of the family； which in Chinese families is worse than losing your own father。 Jesus； now what？ I'm not the eldest son so I don't have to make the arrangements。 But even so； what do I do now？
Sobbing distracted him。 It was an old man sobbing over an old woman； lying on a nearby stretcher。 So much death here； too much； Paul Choy thought。 Yes。 But the dead must bury the dead； the living must go on。 I'm no longer bound to him。 And I'm American。
He lifted the blanket as though to cover Four Finger Wu's face and deftly slipped off the thong necklace with its half…coin and pocketed it。 Again making sure no one was watching； he went through the pockets。 Money in a billfold； a bunch of keys； the personal pocket chop。 And the diamond ring in its little box。
He got up and went to Dr。 Tooley。 〃Excuse me； Doc。 Would you； would you please leave the old man there？ I'll be back with a car。 The family； we'd 。。。 Is that okay？〃
〃Of course。 Inform the police before you take him away； their Missing Persons is set up at the roadblock。 I'll sign the death certificate tomorrow。 Sorry there's no ti… 〃 Again the kind man was distracted and he went over to Dr。 Meng。 〃Here； let me help。 It's like Korea； eh？〃
Paul Choy walked down the hill； careless of the drizzle； his heart light； stomach settled； future settled。 The coin's mine now； he told himself； certain that Four Fingers would have told no one else； keeping to his usual pattern of secrecy； only trusting those he had to。
Now that I've possession of his personal chop I can chop whatever I like； do whatever I like； but I'm not going to do that。 That's cheating。 Why should I cheat when I'm ahead？ I'm smarter than any of his other sons。 They know it； I know it and that's not being crazy。 I am better。 It's only fair I keep the coin and all the profits on the 2 mill。 I'll set the family up； modernize everything； equip the ships； anything they want。 But with my profit I'm going to start my own empire。 Sure。 But first I'm going to Hawaii。 。。。
At the head of the line of cars near the first slip Dunross stopped beside his car and opened the door to the backseat。 Casey jerked out of a reverie and the color drained out of her face。 〃Linc？〃
〃No； nothing yet。 Quillan's fairly sure he's pinpointed the area。 Gurkhas are bing that part right now。 I'm going back to relieve him。〃 Dunross tried to sound confident。 〃The experts say there's a very good chance he'll be okay。 Not to worry。 You all right？〃
〃Yes。 Yes thanks。〃
When he had returned from their first search； he had sent Lim for coffee； sandwiches and a bottle of brandy； knowing the night would be very long。 He had wanted Casey to leave with Riko but she had refused。 So Riko had gone back to her hotel in the other car with Lim。
〃You want a brandy； Ian？〃 Casey said。
〃Thanks。〃 He watched her pour for him； noticing her fingers were steady。 The brandy tasted good。 〃I'll take Quillan a sandwich。 Why not put a good slug of brandy into the coffee； eh？ I'll take that。〃
〃Sure；〃 she said； glad for something to do。 〃Have any others been rescued？〃
〃Donald McBride … he's all right； just shaken。 Both he and his wife。〃
〃Oh good。 Any； any bodies？〃
〃None that I know of；〃 he said； deciding not to tell her about Plumm or his old friend Southerby； chairman of Blacs。 At that moment Adryon and Martin Haply hurtled up and Adryon threw her arms around him； sobbing with relief。 〃Oh； Father we just heard； oh； Father； I was petrified。〃
〃There； there；〃 he said； gentling her。 〃I'm fine。 Good God； Adryon； no bloody landslip will ever touch the tai…pan of the Noble Ho… 〃
〃Oh don't say that；〃 she begged him with a shiver of superstitious dread。 〃Don't ever say that！ This's China； gods listen； don't say that！〃
〃All right； my love！〃 Dunross hugged her and smiled at Martin Haply who was also wet with relief。 〃Everything all right？〃
〃Oh yes sir； we were over in Kowloon； I was covering the other slide when we heard the news。〃 The youth was so relieved。 〃Goddamn I'm pleased to see you； tai…pan。 We 。。。 afraid we bashed up the car a little getting up here。〃
〃Never mind。〃 Dunross held Adryon away from him。 〃All right； pet？〃
Again she hugged him。 〃Oh yes。〃 Then she saw Casey。 〃Oh。 Oh hello； Casey I was； er； so … 〃
〃Oh don't be silly。 e on out of the rain。 Both of you。〃
Adryon obeyed。 Martin Haply hesitated then said to Dunross； 〃If you don't mind； sir； I'll just look around。〃
〃Christian got out；〃 Dunross said quickly。 〃He ph… 〃
〃Yes sir。 I called the office。 Thanks。 Won't be long； honey；〃 he said to Adryon and went off toward the barrier。 Dunross watched him go； young； tough and very assured； then caught sight of Gornt hurrying down the hill。 Gornt stopped； well away from the car and beckoned him anxiously。
Dunross glanced at Casey； his heart thumping uneasily。 From where she was she could not see Gornt。 〃I'll be back soon as I can。〃
〃Take care！〃
Dunross came up to Gornt。 The older man was filthy； clothes torn； beard matted and his face set。
〃We've pegged him；〃 Gornt said。 〃Bartlett。〃
〃He's dead？〃
〃No。 We've found him but we can't get at him。〃 Gornt motioned at the thermos。 〃Is that tea？〃
〃Coffee with brandy。〃
Gornt took it； drank gratefully。 〃Casey's still in the car？〃
〃Yes。 How deep is he？〃
〃We don't know。 Deep。 Perhaps it's best not to say anything about him to her； not yet。〃